


Your Eyes Gave Me Hope

by HellYeahFeels



Category: Teen Beach Movie (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Multi, minor mentions of Butchy/Giggles, minor ship of Brady/Tanner
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 12:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4877248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellYeahFeels/pseuds/HellYeahFeels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. "Her eyes were always guarded, hoarding unspoken secrets, but her walls crumbled every time she looked at you."</p><p>Lela and Butchy moved to a new town, a new school: Windy Bluff High. All should go smoothly for the two siblings, or at least they hoped. Everything then changed once a certain brunette stumbled into Lela's life. Who will fall first?</p><p>[DISCONTINUED - 5/30/16]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Beach Movie or any of its characters.
> 
> Reminder - this is an AU story - a High School Alternate Universe. The main characters of Wet Side Story are included in this fic, or at least mentioned. Mack and Brady did not get together over the summer but became "bros," of sorts, and Mack doesn't go off to that prep school. Takes place in the fall of 2013, after the summer of the first movie.
> 
> I did my best with Lela's character as she is now from our world, not from the movie, so she's a bit different - more modernized. I hope you like my little twist on things. I tried my best with such a loose plot. Enjoy the story!

"Lela! Hurry's it up! We supposed ta get there early!" her older brother, Butchy, yelled from downstairs.

The siblings were new to this town, only being there for a week, and needed to head to school before everyone else to retrieve their schedules. They already knew of the busy day ahead.

The raven haired girl blinked at herself in the mirror, her bright blue eyes widening comically. "Oh jeepers!" she exclaimed, hurriedly applying lipstick. The thought of arriving early to school completely flew out her mind and now she was paying for it. Lela grabbed her black shoulder bag and rushed down the stairs. Her sneakers pounded against the leveled steps. "I'm so sorry, Butch! I totally forgot."

She smiled weakly at him, shifting in her black Chucks. She wore a black t-shirt with the words  _'Pete's Garage. Motorcycle. Parts & Services'_ centered in the middle. It was the name of the man she worked for. She and Butchy saw the 'Help Wanted' sign from the repair shop while walking to a local Ben and Jerry's and both siblings signed up for the job as they were good with motorcycles. To finish her outfit, an open thin grey jacket and a pair of dark shorts were around Lela's figure.

Butchy raised a brow, tugging on his fingerless leather gloves. He was in a tight red t-shirt with a leather vest and dark jeans. A pair of shades were held by the collar of his shirt. "It's aight. C'mon. Ma and Pa left for work so I'm takin' us. Just grab somethin' for breakfast. I'll be outside, checking on the bike."

He slipped on his red and black backpack with its diagonal zipper, making sure he had everything. The brunet then headed to the garage, leaving Lela to gather her breakfast.

Lela sighed, running a hand through her wild hair.  _Well, I might as well get something. I don't even know when I'll get lunch_. She nodded to herself as she strolled into the kitchen.

Lela took the first thing she saw: a box of chocolate chip Pop-Tarts. She peeked into the small blue box and grinned when she saw there were three left. "Score!" She shoved two of them into her bag, biting into another.

A soft moan escaped her at the sweet taste. The corners of her mouth lifted as she moved to the direction of her brother. She entered the garage, closing the door behind her. Lela turned her attention to Butchy, catching him turn on the engine of his motorcycle.

Butchy owned a blue and black Yamaha Raider S with black fire engravings on the sides. It was his baby; his most prized possession. Lela's motorcycle was a red Yamaha V Star 950. The two siblings cherished the gifts from their parents.

After they saw how good their children were at being mechanics, they decided to buy the bikes for their birthdays; for Lela's 16th birthday and for Butchy's 18th birthday. It had been nearly a year yet the bikes looked like they came right out of the store. Lela and Butchy knew they wouldn't get a new one if they messed theirs up.

"Hey, Lela, hop ons," Butchy called, taking her bag and tossed her a red helmet with a tinted face shield. He placed their school bags in the motorcycle compartment under their seats. It was his favorite part of the vehicle. He yanked his black helmet on, twisting the key.

The motorcycle roared to life and it brought a grin to the raven haired girl's face. She opened the garage door, the smell of the outdoors fueling her with excitement.

Lela secured the helmet on her head and plopped down on the bike behind her brother. Her arms wrapped loosely around his waist as he retracted the kickstand with his foot, the ignition turned on.

"Hang on," he advised. The motorcycle roared once more as they took off, the garage door closing behind them.

The siblings passed many houses, palm trees scattered everywhere. The morning air was cool on their exposed skin as they sped along the nearly empty roads. After a few minutes of listening to the gentle hum of the motorcycle, they neared the school zone. Butchy decelerated as they rolled into the parking lot of Windy Bluff High School.

Very few students were present this early but they were instantly intrigued in the two people who rode a  _motorcycle_  to school. Gossip about the new kids quickly developed and spread hastily across the school. It was only a matter of time before the entire student population knew about the biker siblings.

Lela's brows knitted together as she got off the 'majestic metal horse'—Butchy's words, not hers. She pulled off the thick helmet, holding it by her side as she waited for her brother. "Butch... People are looking at us weirdly." Her worried eyes darted over to the scrutinizing stares.

The brunet chuckled. "Well, we  _are_ the new kids. They'd be sizing up their competition," he joked, nudging his younger sister. Lela rolled her eyes playfully but she remained stiff, and it implanted a grin on Butchy's face. "Oh man, don't be telling me you'd be nervous now?"

His sister's eyes widened slightly. "N - no. I'm not - I am  _not_ nervous!" she exclaimed in stutters. She blinked at her brother's amused expression before sighing heavily. "Maybe I am a bit nervous. I mean, we're the  _new_  kids. We're the outsiders in a small town, Butchy. How does that not worry you?"

The biker's grin dropped and he gained a serious look. "I understand that, Lae. We gotta stick together 'till we find ourselves here, and you know we will. Just give it a li'l time. Good things happen to those who wait, y'know?" He placed his helmet, along with Lela's, in the bike's compartment.

The duo began to walk into the school building, not willing to pay attention to the curious onlookers. The extra effort was unnecessary.

They entered what appeared to be the main office—to the left of the school entrance—watching many of the staff fill out last minute papers, conversing with other students. The lively scene made Lela feel both eager and uneasy. She couldn't wait to step onto new boundaries, exploring to her heart's desire but then again, she was going in blindly, headfirst.

It was a thrilling experience and Lela always wanted to experience new experiences. It was one of her goals in life.

"May I help you?" a middle-aged woman asked. Her black glasses were perched low on the bridge of her nose as she looked them. Her graying blond hair was tied in a tight bun, her white blouse spotless.

Butchy stepped forward, one of his gloved hands resting lightly on the table counter. "Ah, yes. My sister and I are new here and we was wondering if you had our schedules?"

He flashed the woman a charming smile, trying to seem polite. It was the toned down version of the grin he gave girls he was interested in.

The blonde nodded, turning to the large stack of papers on the corner of the table.  _They're probably all alphabetized,_ Lela mused, shifting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.

"Last names?" the woman inquired, raising a brow at the brunet.

"Gray."

The secretary gave another nod before searching through the pile. After a few moments, she plucked out two documents. Her grey eyes narrowed at the two typed names printed at the corners of both schedules. "Johnny and Lela Gray?"

Butchy's shoulders slumped at the mention of his full name before he nodded reluctantly. "Right here, ma'am."

She handed him the papers, bidding them luck on their first day.

Butchy smiled in reply and turned to Lela, his cheeks slightly red from embarrassment. "Jeez, I hate it when people call me Johnny." He held out Lela's schedule which she quickly took.

Lela's lips quirked at his brother's complaints. "Well, it  _is_ your name. Butchy is only your alias, a nickname. You will always be Johnny Gray. You can still change it since you're eighteen already," she added, skimming her schedule. She had a few advanced classes along with some regular ones. Lela was very intelligent and loved cold hard facts even though she was quite the optimist.

"I won't change it," Butchy replied as they left the office, heading toward the main entrance to go to their lockers. "Ma and Pa gave me the name for a reason but it don't mean I don't like Butchy better." He tugged on the ends of his leather vest, buffing out his chest. "Butchy reflects more on my physical appearance and Johnny is the softie on the inside, okay?"

The raven haired girl giggled, shaking her head. Her brother really was something. "Alright, Butch." She glanced at the paper again, noting that her locker was on the first floor. "Hey, where is your locker at?"

Her brother checked his schedule, deflating slightly. "It's on the second floor. Maybe cuz I'm a senior?"

Lela was on her third year of high school while Butchy was on his last. Technically, he should have graduated by now but he repeated third grade since he couldn't wrap his mind around the basics of multiplication and division.

"We'll meet out in the front when the bell rings. Everything'll be fine," he assured, giving his sister one last look before speeding ahead of her, bounding up the stairs. He wanted to orient himself with the school and his classes, knowing he couldn't flunk this year either.

The bell, coincidentally, rang at that moment, jarring Lela back to reality.

She was a big girl. She didn't need her older brother comforting her.  _It would be endearing though._ She placed on a smile and continued forward, shaking off the curious glances at her. It was mostly from the kids in the parking lot before.

She had barely taken a few steps when she ran into an animated brunette.

"Welcome back, everyone. Big 'Save the Beach' dance this weekend," she announced, attempting to hand out flyers. Few people were taking them. "Buy a ticket, save a seal." Still, no one paid much attention. "Oh, come on. Who doesn't like seals?" She hesitated for a second. "Well, sharks, but they don't like anyone."

A soft smiled played with Lela's lips as she stepped forward, toying with her bag strap. "I'm almost sure some sharks like other sharks. How else would they have children?"

The tall brunette turned to her with a surprised expression. Lela's smile grew broader. "You make a valid point but to animals, you don't need emotions to produce offspring."

Lela shrugged, shifting on her feet.

Brown eyes narrowed at her, slowly wandering to the schedule in her hands. "Are you new here? I haven't seen you around."

Lela nodded, feeling oddly content to speak with this girl. "Yeah, I just moved here a week ago with my brother. I'm Lela Gray." Moving her schedule to her other hand, she offered her right hand in greeting which the brunette took graciously. The other girl's hand was warm and soft. It transfixed Lela.

"McKenzie Fox. You can call me Mack," the brunette replied, grinning at the shorter girl.

Their eyes locked and both girls stared at each other until a body flew into Mack from her side with a shrill cry of 'Mack!' Mack let out a grunt but smiled at the Asian girl when she finally let go.

Lela quirked a brow at the scene, watching the two girls intermingle. The brunette shot her an apologetic look but Lela waved it off, urging her to continue with a slight nod.

"Hey, how was your summer?" Mack inquired as soon as she regained her balance.

The other girl started to number a list of what occurred to her over break. "Oh, big yawn. Science camp was epic, the college tour was fab," she smiled widely, "and don't even get me started on the Student Government conference." Mack offered a goofy grin, glad to see that her best friend was fine over summer break. "I'm so glad you're back this year." Mack's lips pressed together at the thought that she was about to leave for another school. "I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you to that prep school."

Lela's smile fell slightly.  _Mack was about to leave for a prep school?_

Mack nodded, toying with the papers in her hand. "Yeah, I'm glad I'm back, too." Her chocolate brown eyes widen as she remembered something. "Oh, here." She handed the Asian a blue flyer.

"Oh, what's this?"

"Uh, well, I made a deal with myself," Mack replied, leaning forward on her toes. "If I'm staying here, I'm doing things that are important to me. So, I started an oceanography club which is super-convenient, since our school is literally on the ocean." Excitement sparkled in her eyes. Lela admired her enthusiasm.

"Super cool. Sign me up."

The shorter brunette paused, recollecting her breath. She then throws her hands in the air, startling Mack. "Oh! I have news. Guess who I hung out with at the Student Government conference?" Mack raised a brow, wanting her best friend to finish—and by the look on her face, she looked ready to burst. "Spencer Watkins. The literally cutest guy in school," she fangirled, unable to suppress her large grin.

Mack just responded with pressing her lips together, attempting to look thrilled for her friend.

"So, an oceanography club? That sounds beyond cool," Lela commented, smiling at Mack's facial expression of 'Oh-I-forgot-you-were-still-here.'

The Asian girl was quite surprised as she thought it was only her and Mack. However, she quickly shook it off, offering a kind smile. "Uh, hi. You seem to be new. I'm Alyssa."

Lela smiled warmly. "I'm Lela. Lela Gray. You are correct on me being new here. I just moved here a week ago." She bit her lip, sticking her hand out for a handshake which Alyssa takes. "I'm here to discover who I am and find fulfillment," she greeted, albeit goofily, firmly shaking the Asian's hand. The ends of her mouth quirked up.

Alyssa's brows knitted together, examining the short girl. "A woman that knows what she wants." A broad grin formed on her face, prompting a giggle from Lela. "I like her."

The bell suddenly ringed, startling the girls. Lela glanced down at her schedule, checking what she had for first period. The worry from before slowly crawled up her spine as she witnessed students heading to their class without problem. She bit her lip at the bolded print.

**First Period: Chemistry - Mr. Terry - Rm. 205**

"Hey Mack, do you know where Mr. Terry's room is?"

The taller brunette smiled widely. "Well, you're in luck, I have him first period too. Can I see your schedule?"

Lela handed her schedule over. Mack analyzed the sheet of paper, her eyes widening. "Wow. We have the first four periods together. Huh. I guess I'll be your guide, of sorts, for half of the day." She turned to Alyssa. "I'll see you in Marine Biology? Third period?"

Alyssa nodded. "Yeah, I'll see you there. Bye Lela. Try to have a good first day." She started to leave. "Maybe I can get Spencer Watkins to be my lab partner," she murmured to herself as she disappeared behind the flocks of students.

Mack shook her head at her best friend's antics. "I sometimes worry about her." She led Lela up the stairs, brushing past other teenagers.

The short girl shrugged, a half smile etched on her lips. "I don't know. I admire women who know what they want."

Mack giggled as Lela smiled, flustered. She was intrigued by the brunette. She wasn't like any other girl she knew and that only pushed Lela further to get to know her better.

The girls slowed to a stop before one of the classrooms. Students were starting to fill in seats at the lab tables, chatter growing louder in the room. A middle-aged Caucasian man organized something at the front desk. The teacher, Lela assumed.

_This must be Chemistry class. Hopefully everything goes well._

Lela's eyes quickly found Mack's and the other girl offered a silly grin. "Don't worry. It's your first day. Everything will be fine." Tentatively, she curled her fingers around Lela's free wrist. "C'mon. I want some good seats,  _lab partner_. Who knows if Mr. Terry will make them permanent?" Mack dragged her into the room.

The taller brunette made them sit in the second row, close to the door. Lela smiled warmly at the bright expression on Mack's face as she scribbled something into a journal.  _I suppose everything will fine as long as Mack is with me._

She set her shoulder bag on the ground, wondering to herself if she could drop off some things in her locker. She would have to ask Mack later for assistance.

The bell rang a final time as the last couple of students walked into class. Lela sucked in a breath. The first class usually lasted the longest so she hoped they wouldn't do much in first period. She wouldn't mind as she was more of a math and science kind of gal, but it was the first day. Who did  _real_  work on the first day?

_Well, here it goes._

"Good morning, class. I am Mr. Terry, your Chemistry teacher for this year. Welcome to a new school year. I hope your summer vacation was satisfactory. Now, I am going to pass out the course syllabus where we will learn..."

Lela blinked and she let out a relieved sigh.  _Guess I have nothing to worry about the first day_... She turned her attention to the clock, scrunching up her nose.

Only five minutes had passed.

_Oh, this is going to be a long day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my second Mackela fic but my first multi-chapter fic for Mackela. This will not be a very long multi-chapter fic - maybe five or seven chapters, not sure yet, but it might run longer than I previously predicted. I hope I did okay with the modernization of things.
> 
> Should I make Lela dorkier, especially towards math and science? Mack would find it adorable when she rants about torque and calculus formulas... Yeah, it's happening. Also, this takes place in California (Malibu - for the waves), in case you were wondering.
> 
> Please tell me what you think in the comments! **If I receive enough attention and/or positive reviews, I will continue.** You can always PM me on FF.net or talk to me on my Tumblr - HellYeahFeels. Till next time!


	2. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Beach Movie or any of its characters.
> 
> I'm so sorry this took forever to post (school and sports are taking up a lot of my time). Besides that, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! Any grammatical mistakes are my own. Enjoy!

During Mr. Terry's speech about class expectations and safety regulations, Lela turned to Mack, who was jotting down notes. Her ocean blue were captivated by the brunette's simple movements. She just couldn't tear her gaze away—her body refused to cooperate with her mind.

The bell rang and Lela jolted, dropping her pen. She flushed, running a hand through her raven locks.  _I hope no one saw that. God, what's gotten into me?_

"Lela?"

Lela blinked, focusing her attention on her new friend. She struggled to form a coherent reply. "Uh, Mack. Yeah, hey."

Mack grinned at her, amused. She held out a familiar looking pen. "I think you dropped this."

"Oh." The shorter girl gratefully took the writing utensil and placed it in her bag. "Thanks."

Mack shrugged as she rose from her seat. "Come on, we have Calculus next. We don't want to be late to Mr. Calvin's class."

The raven haired girl nodded, clutching the strap of her bag. "Mack? I was wondering if you could show me to my locker first. I just wanted to know where it would be so I could drop any books off later." She smiled shyly. "If you don't mind, of course."

"Oh, sure. What's your locker number?"

Lela took out her schedule. "Locker #125," she read. She shifted on her feet, waiting for the girl's response.

"That's a few lockers down from mine. We should hurry if we want to get there in time."

Mack led Lela out of the class and through the halls, avoiding any collisions with fellow students. They climbed down the stairs, following the direction of the hallway.

Lela chewed on her lower lip, wondering about the rest of the day. She would be sharing classes with Mack during half of the day and it was clearly affecting Lela's attention span. Just thinking about it would make her stomach twist up in knots. So immersed in her thoughts, she didn't realize that the brunette had stopped, causing her to bump into her.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" she apologized in a hurry.

"It's alright," Mack assured with a smile. Her brown eyes roamed over Lela's flushed face. "Your locker is right here."

Locker 125 was right before them, a small blue compartment. Lela fished out her schedule and looked over the locker combination. She inched closer, fumbling with the combination until she popped it open. A proud smile donned on her face and she placed a single journal and pen in the space before closing it. She grinned at Mack. "Okay, let's go to Calculus."

Mack nodded and escorted Lela to Calculus, which was, fortunately, on the same floor. Mr. Calvin was a white middle-aged man with thinning salt and pepper hair and a stoic expression. When he introduced himself to the class, his voice was monotonous, literally putting the class to sleep. Besides the dull atmosphere, Mr. Calvin was a pretty good teacher—if you managed not to fall asleep.

Lela bit back a laugh at Mack's exasperated look when the kid next to them snored.

Soon, the class ended and Lela hastily left, eager for fresh-not-boring air. She bowed her head, resting against the wall.  _God, that class is_ way _too long. I just hope that Mr. Calvin doesn't kill my love for math..._

"Hey, are you okay?" Mack questioned as she quickly joined the raven haired girl. Her soft brown eyes were full of worry. "You left in a hurry."

Lela nodded, exhaling deeply. "I'm okay." She smiled weakly at the brunette. "That class was just slowly killing me."

Mack chuckled, tucking back a lock of hair. "Yeah, Mr. Calvin'll do that to you. Don't worry, once we start learning, he'll seem more lively. He's not very good at introductions or talking about himself."

"I can see that."

Smiling, Mack jutted a finger behind her. "Alright, c'mon. Let's go see if Alyssa got Spencer as a partner for Marine Biology."

The two girls started for Marine Biology, located in the hall over. They bumped into a tall blond and a dark skinned boy at the doorway. Mack smiled at them. "Hey, Brady." Her eyes lowered to his feet. "You're wearing sandals," she deadpanned.

The blond—Brady—grinned. "They're my fancy ones," he replied, wiggling his toes. He nudged his friend. "Devon, this is my girl-bro Mack. Mack, this is Devon, my best friend." His dark eyes fell on Lela and his brows knitted together. "Um, hi Mack's friend."

"Lela," the raven haired girl helped with a kind smile. "You know Mack?"

"Oh yeah. We met over the summer. She's the best surfer I've ever seen," he gushed, grinning widely at the brunette.

Lela raised a brow.  _Mack's a surfer?_

"I am not the best," Mack remarked modestly, waving off the compliment. A small blush crept up her tan neck. Lela stared at her in interest.

"Yeah, you are," Brady interjected, turning to Lela. "She rode the biggest wave this summer and it was amazing! She's an incredible surfer."

"I'm really n—"

"Excuse me?"

The teens' heads snapped to the direction of the voice. They all smiled sheepishly at their stoic, bearded teacher. Because of their loud discussion, they didn't hear the bell ring.

"Since it is the first day, I will not penalize your tardiness. Next time however, it's a ticket straight to detention. You should know better—especially when you were right outside the door." The teacher pushed up his glasses, clearing his throat. "Now please, take a seat and let us begin class."

The four students trudged into the classroom, avoiding the pointed looks of their peers, and took their seats, Brady with Devon and Mack with Lela. Class started soon after and the teacher introduced himself as Dr. Jones, their Marine Biology teacher. He then gave each pair a mini-lab as a "fun" activity to do.

Lela organized their necessary supplies and aided Mack in retrieving the correct materials for the experiment. "So, you surf?" she asked cautiously, glancing at the brunette.

"Uh, yeah, I do. I started as a little girl. My grandfather taught me," Mack answered simply. She began checking off what materials they had.

"That's amazing," Lela confessed, smiling softly at the surfer. "I can fix motorcycles and stuff but I can't surf."

Mack paused and faced her, brown eyes shining. "Maybe I could teach you? It's not that hard if you're really persistent on learning."

Their eyes met and Lela's smile broadened. "I'd like that very much."

The two girls were silent, just staring at one another, until an excited cry of "Mack!" interrupted their moment. Mack wet her lips and turned to Alyssa. "Hey! How's Marine Bio going?"

Alyssa bounced on her feet, a large grin plastered on her face. A piece of paper was in her hand, a checklist. "Same old, same old. 'Centrifuge. Check. Methylene blue dye. Check. Cultured Petri dish. Check. Begin inoculation.' Let's dilute those solvents. Whoo!" She pumped a fist into the air. "Plus, Spencer Watkins is my lab partner! Could you believe that?" she gushed, eyeing the tall boy to her right.

"No, I couldn't but you did it anyway."

"I know right. I just hope I don't do anything stupid in front of him. " Alyssa's eyes trailed to Lela. "Oh, hey, Lela! I see that you're Mack's partner."

Lela's mind went blank for a moment.  _Mack's partner... Her_ lab  _partner._ "Yes, I am," she managed, her eyes darting from Alyssa to Mack. "How's Spencer?" she questioned out of the blue.

Mack's eyes widened in horror as Alyssa began to ramble about the tall Asian. Lela winced.  _Ooh, poor move._

The period consisted of Alyssa blabbing about Spencer Watkins with Lela and Mack trying to complete their lab. Luckily, the bell rang as soon as they finished and Alyssa quickly found her way to Spencer's side. Lela sighed heavily as she was putting away their materials. "I'm so sorry for...that."

"It's okay. I should have warned you that Alyssa could be a bit...overwhelming at times. She's a great friend though." Mack collected her belongings, pressing her lips together. "I'd take you to lunch but I have a Calculus study group and I'd prefer that you get some lunch. Wouldn't want you to starve."

Lela nodded as they both headed to the door. She was a bit disappointed that she couldn't spent lunch with the surfer. "It's okay. Maybe next time."

"Next time. See you later, Lela." Mack smiled at the raven haired girl one last time before she left down the hall, the opposite direction of the outdoor cafeteria.

Lela watched her go off and her eyes widened.  _I didn't even get her number! Dang._ Her shoulders slumped as she continued to the cafeteria. She was welcomed with noisy students and the warm sun. Lela hurried to the long lunch line, nearly running into a tall blonde. She noticed her paint splattered Chucks and grinned. "I wonder if she's an artist," she pondered too loudly, not realizing it.

The blonde turned around, much to Lela's shock, and smiled at the raven haired girl. "I'm not but I really like to paint. It's super fun. I prefer dancing over painting." Her blue flitted down to Lela's shirt. "Motorcycles?"

Lela chuckled lightly. "I can repair motorcycles. It's super fun," she teased. A genuine smile formed on her face. "I'm Lela, by the way. I'm new here."

"Cool. I'm Molly but you can call me Giggles." The blonde shrugged. "It's an old nickname that just grew on me. How's your first day so far? Did you get lost?"

The biker giggled, shaking her head. "No, not yet. My friend, Mack, helped me around." Just mentioning the brunette made Lela's smile wider.

"Oh, Mack? Yeah, she's awesome. She tutored me in math. It paid off 'cuz now I'm in Calc." A proud expression crossed Giggle's face. The girls finally reached the start of the line and filled their plates with food. "She also gave me a few pointers in surfing. The girl's got a talent," the blonde informed.

Lela tried to digest as much information as she could about her new brunette friend.  _Mack is amazing,_ she realized with a small grin. The thought made her giddy. "You surf too?"

"Oh, yeah. Lots of people surf here. The school is close to the beach, y'know? Great place to hang out when you're on break." The girls paid for their lunch and moved away from the lunch line. "Do you want to join me and my friends for lunch?"

"Sure." She definitely didn't want to sit alone. Plus, she wanted to make new friends.

Giggles led her to a table occupied with people. Lela saw the familiar faces of Brady and Devon. "Hey guys, this is Lela, a friend."

Several pairs of eyes turned to her and she raised a hand in a wave. "Hi. I'm new."

"Yeah, you look new," a Latina commented, sizing her up while filing her nails. Her dark wavy hair was up in a neat bun, red lipstick adorning her plump lips with black eyeliner making her dark eyes pop. "Are you Butchy's sister?"

Lela's eyes widened in surprise. "Um, yeah. You know him?" She took a seat between Giggles and the Latina.

The Latina hummed in agreement. "He's forming a biker group and he's in my first period. Seems like a good guy." She offered a small smile. "I'm Chrissie but you can call me Chee. I would prefer the latter." She paused, scrutinizing Lela for a moment. "You're a biker too?"

"The shirt gives it away, huh?" the raven haired girl joked. "But yes, I'm a biker. We both have our own motorcycles."

Chee nodded, impressed by this fact. "Cool. My uncle taught me how to ride one when I was fourteen. I picked it up like a pro."

Next to Lela, Giggles pouted, dipping a french fry in ketchup. "I feel so left out with all you guys riding motorcycles. I can only surf."

"You're not the only surfer here, Giggles. Tanner, Brady, and Devon can surf," Chee pointed out, sipping some Coca-Cola through a straw.

"Oh yeah..."

Lela chuckled lowly, taking a bite of her burger.  _I guess my first day isn't so bad. I've made a lot of new friends and I'm quickly adjusting to everything. Plus, school lunch isn't so bad._ She continued eating.

"So, Lela, where are you from?" Giggles questioned, turning her attention to the smaller girl.

Chee coughed, mumbling something that sounded like "her mom's vagina." Brady and Devon stifled their laughter.

Lela nearly rolled her eyes. She now knew that Chee could have an attitude and be a bit sarcastic. "I'm from Dallas, Texas. My dad got a promotion from work so we moved here."

"Do you like it here so far?"

"It's great, actually. The weather's nice and there are some amazing views here," Lela added with a small curl of her lips.

The bell rang soon after, signifying the end of fourth period. Everyone began to rise from their seats and started to leave. The trio of girls walked to the trash can, throwing away any remains from lunch. Giggles bid her farewell and left for class. Chee finished her soda, glancing at Lela. She knew that the raven haired girl would be lost without any assistance. "Hey, Lae, what class do you have next?"

Lela took out her schedule from her bag, scanning the small print. "Um, World History with Mr. Harrison?"

"Oh, I have that class!" a tall boy cried from behind them. He was tan and extremely good-looking. His eyes were a bright blue-green, his smile pearly white and dazzling. "I could take you, if you don't mind of course." He grinned goofily at them.

Chee nodded. "Alright, you can take her, but only because I need to go reapply my make-up. I'll see you soon, Lela. Save me a seat, would ya?" She sauntered off, heading toward the restroom.

Lela turned to face the handsome boy. She shifted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. "Um, I'm Lela by the way."

The brunet smiled kindly. "I'm Tanner," he quipped excitingly. "Come on, we don't want to be late." He led them through the busy hallway on their journey to History class.

Lela's brows furrowed. "Your actual name is Tanner?" she inquired, her gaze straying on the boy before her.

Tanner frowned slightly. "Well no, but my friends call me that so I just use it. My real name's Andrew Lewis Hart. It's a lot, I know. That's why I go by Tanner." He paused, looking behind him. Their eyes met. "You don't that's weird, right?"

The biker shook her head. "No, it's a unique nickname. It's very creative."

"Oh, okay."

The duo were silent after that. Lela observed the brunet, noting his bright, cheery attitude.  _He seems like a really nice guy. Too bad, I'm not interested in him._ They finally found their assigned classroom and sat in the middlemost row, saving the seat next to Lela's for Chee. "Do you play any sports?" Lela asked, attempting to start a conversation with the boy. They did have a little bit of time before class started anyway.

Tanner's grin broadened at the mentioning of sports. "Yeah, I play football. I'm the halfback. They say I'm the fastest on the field," he boasted.

"That's impressive, Tanner. Do Brady or Devon play?"

"Uh, no. Devon plays basketball and Brady just surfs. I don't think Coach would let my boyfriend play with us on the team. Channing still hates me for making the team," Tanner confessed, his lips forming a pout.

Lela froze.  _Wait, what?_ "You're gay?" she whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear. Fortunately, no one was listening to their conversation.

"Yeah, Brady's my boyfriend. You didn't know? I thought everyone knew already."

"No, but I do now." Lela noticed the fear behind Tanner's eyes. "Don't worry, Tanner. This doesn't change anything. I don't care who you love. Besides," Lela smiled cheekily, "I think you two make a cute couple."

Tanner giggled. "Aw, thank you." He sent her a genuine smile. "But thank you for not judging me. It might be the twenty-first century but some people still don't like gay people. I'm just happy that you understand."

At that moment, Chee walked in and the bell rang. The teacher eyed the Latina suspiciously and she scoffed. "I ain't late, Teach. I still beat the bell." Some of the students laughed but Chee ignored them. She took a seat next to Lela. "Thanks for the seat, Lae. I really appreciate it. You and Tanner okay?"

Lela smiled, nodding. She truly was happy for Tanner and Brady, and was lucky to have heard the truth from Tanner and not from some nasty rumor or foolish gossip. "Yeah, we're good."

"Alright, class. I'm Mr. Harrison, your World History teacher. This year we will cover..."

_Here we go again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it - Lela interacting more with the gang and making new friends. And yes, Tanner and Brady are a couple, but Lela/Mack still run the show. Oh and it seems like our petite biker's growing a crush on Mack. *wink* We'll see how that turns out.
> 
> I'm sorry this chapter is late and if it's not as good/long as the previous one (to be honest, it seems like a filler chapter, but oh well). I just wanted to establish some friendships/pairings before diving deeper into Lela and Mack's relationship. I'll try to post the next chapter sooner.
> 
> Please tell me what you think in the comments! Till next time!


	3. Bathroom Backstories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Beach Movie or any of its characters.
> 
> I am so freaking sorry this took so long. School really didn't allow me to work on my story as much but this chapter is longer than the previous two so yay. Thank you so much for the amazing feedback! Enjoy the story! (Any mistakes are my own and will be fixed later...hopefully.)

The rest of the period was a blur for Lela—a similar introduction from her previous classes was given and the syllabus was passed out—and now she was currently being dragged out of the school by Chee and Giggles for their free period. They hauled her to the back of the school, heading to the beach that was located behind the large building. Many students were scattered all over, either hanging out, studying, or enjoying the warm sun.

"Why are we here again?" Lela questioned, looking to the girls expectantly. She wasn't opposed to going to the beach—she just didn't want to get her clothes messy and become late for class. Especially on the first day. She wasn't ready for a notorious reputation.

"The beach is a great place to hang out," Giggles stated, a wide smile on her face. "Plus, I get some time to surf." She yanked on Lela's arm, pulling her forward.

"And this is legal?"

"Oh, yeah," Chee drawled, trailing behind them. "The school's pretty lenient on us so we get privileges that other schools don't get. And to be honest, we would still do this, legal or not." The ends of lips quirked, her eyes settling on the beach's shore, someone catching her attention. "Looks like Struts beat us here."

Lela whipped her head back to the Latina, clearly surprised by the name. "Struts?"  _Does everyone have weird nicknames?_

Chee shrugged. "Well, her name's Jessica but her walks look like struts so that's what we call her," she clarified as if that made any more sense.

Lela narrowed her eyes at the brunette, not understanding. She finally sighed in defeat.  _This town is weird...but strangely, I'm okay with it._

"Chee! Giggles!" the "Struts" girl called, walking up to them. She was dressed similarly to Chee but it was lighter and girlish, with more pink. Her eyes froze on Lela and she faltered. "Um, hi."

The raven haired girl stepped forward, smiling widely at Struts. "I'm new. My name's Lela."

"I'm Jessica but you can call me Struts."

Lela pressed her lips together. "Yeah, I've heard."

Giggles turned to the trio before shrugging. "All right, I'm gonna go hit the waves. Join me if you want!" She began to pull off her shirt, revealing a pink bikini top. Lela tried not to stare. Her eyes darted away, cheeks burning.  _Argh, curse my gayness._ "Hey Struts, you have my back-up clothes?" she asked, kicking off her colorful shoes and socks.

The other girl nodded, gesturing to her bag. "Yeah, your blue sweatshirt and red shorts. You owe me food for this," she reminded, pursing her lips.

The surfer grinned, shimming out of her skinny jeans. "Burgers, on me. You can join us if you want, Lae." Her bikini bottom matched her top, both pink and very bold. Giggles shoved her school clothes into her bag. She ran her fingers through her hair, the soft locks shimmering gold.

Chee rolled her eyes at her friend's actions while Lela bit her lip. "You had a bikini underneath your clothing the entire time?" she dared to question.

"Oh, yeah. I go surfing a few times a week, during break of course." Giggles grinned and began sprinting down to the shore. She proceeded to borrow a senior's surfboard—how, Lela doesn't know—and entered the ocean, paddling along the shallow ends with the large red board in hand. She waved at them from afar, diving into the sea.

_She really is a surfer. Mack taught her well._

"Strange, right?" Chee quipped, glancing at the ocean. Her lips were pursed. "Some upperclassmen guys let us borrow their boards during break so we can surf." She shrugged. "I mean - I don't mind it as long as they don't want in my pants."

Lela flushed, still adjusting to the Latina's crude humor. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah. You guys come here for every break?"

"No," Struts intervened, her eyes glued to her cell phone. Her thumbs rapidly dashed across her screen. "We sometimes go to the little shopping center around the corner or just hang out around the school."

"It's betta' than going to the library and studying," Chee admitted, her nose scrunching up at the idea. Her eyes strayed on Lela's awkward displacement and sighed. "C'mon."

The trio headed to one of the benches that was set under some palm trees, giving them a great view of the beach, with the benefit of shade. A gentle breeze passed Lela's face and she slowly closed her eyes, enjoying the tranquil moment. For just a brief second, she could forget that it was her first day of school in a new town, far from home, and her developing crush on a girl she just met. She gripped the edge of the bench, her thighs pressing together.

"You okay, shorty?"

Lela managed a smile, her eyes still closed. Chee's presence brought her back to reality. "Aren't I taller than you?"

The Latina chuckled. "By a mere few inches. Two inches at most."

Lela mimicked her chortle, opening her eyes. "Have you ever moved?" the raven haired girl inquired curiously, curious about the shorter girl next to her. She turned her head, focusing on Chee.

Chee faltered, her smile falling. She exhaled through her nose. "Yeah, I have. I moved from Miami when I was four. My mom thought life would be better the farther we got from Cuba. She was too paranoid in Florida. She had a rough past in Cuba, which she still refuses to talk about." Chee toyed with the sand with her sandal clad feet. She was quieter than her usual loud and sarcastic self. "I don't mind though. In my mind, Malibu was similar to Miami so I didn't think much about it." A loose smile tugged on her lips at the thought of her seven-year-old naive self.

"Is your mom okay?"

"Oh yeah. She still yells at me to clean the dishes and to study more. Nothing's changed." Chee grinned at her eye roll. "You'll get used to it here, Lela. Give it some time. I mean, you already made some awesome friends on your first day."

"Hey guys!"

Both girls turned—Struts was still on her phone—to Giggles. The blonde was dripping wet, various droplets of water trailing down her athletic body. Her eyes were bright, her face flushed. "The waves were great! I wish we could stay longer." Her blue orbs met Lela's. "You should join me next time, Lae. I can teach you how to surf." Struts handed her her spare clothes.

Lela offered a small smile. "I could definitely take you up on that but Mack already promised to teach me."

The Latina raised a brow. "Ooh, you gots a date with Mack?" she joked lightly.

Bright red flooded Lela's cheeks as she avoided eye contact with either girl.  _She's just joking... I hope._ "It's not a date. It's a... _learning opportunity_. I just haven't decided when I want to start. Maybe after a week or two after I finally settle in."

Giggles nodded, drying herself off with the towel she packed. "Let's go to the bathroom. It's easier to change in there."

The four girls walked to the girls' bathroom, not far from their original position. There was a bike rack outside by the entrance with two water fountains and a pair of benches. In the large bathroom, there was a changing area and showers, along with the usual bathroom stalls and sinks. There was even a wall of lockers and some benches. Lela took the scene in with large eyes.  _Wow, the school really doesn't care. It's so cool here! It's almost like a beach's public restroom._

Giggles stepped into one of the showers and closed the curtain. The sound of running water soon came after. Humming emerged from the stall and Lela quirked a brow. She couldn't say anything though. Who  _didn't_ like to sing in the shower? She'd always belt out in song in the bathroom when showering. Butchy always complained but it was him who slipped in the tub while dancing. He was seventeen and got a bruise on his knee. Lela smiled at the thought.

She moved toward the sinks in a daze and looked at herself in the mirror. Bright blue eyes stared back at her. Dark, wavy locks of hair sprawled down, brushing against her pale neck and face. She tugged on her light jacket, keeping it opened. Around her neck lay a pearl necklace with a flower. She thumbed the flower, a wistful look forming in her eyes.

"Is that special?" Chee asked from behind her. Her dark eyes were planted on the girl before her.

Lela nodded, swallowing hard. "Yeah. It's Hawaiian. It means 'friendship forever.' Someone special gave it to me." She tried for a smile, one end of her mouth curving upward. The bell rang soon after, jolting her from a past memory.

"It's really pretty," Giggles quipped suddenly, drying her hair. She wore the blue sweatshirt and the red shorts. In Lela's opinion, she looked like a bubbly lifeguard. She smiled warmly at the biker. "It really suits you."

"Not to be a downer here," Struts interrupted, putting her phone away, "but class starts in like five minutes. We outta hurry. Jeez, I got History next." Her eyes landed on Lela and she smiled genuinely. "It was great meeting you, Lela. I hope to hang with ya soon. Maybe with some of those burgers Gigi promised." A small grin formed on her face before she bid her final farewell and scurried off.

Lela ran a hand through her hair, the dark locks a great contrast to her pale fingers. She nodded, agreeing with Struts' departure. "Yeah, let's go to class." She whipped out her schedule, glancing at her last period. "I got English 11 Honors with Ms. Parker."

"Ooh, me too!" Giggles exclaimed, bouncing on her heels. "I hear she's great!" She quickly fixed her hair and organized her belongings. "C'mon! I want good seats!" The tall blonde proceed to drag the two brunettes to class, narrowly missing their own peers. They sat near the back, neither of them minding.

English class went by in a breeze and it turned out that Ms. Parker was an awesome teacher. Though intelligent, she failed many of classes in her freshman year of college due to inexperience and foolish mistakes. She would have been kicked out but she had received a prestigious scholarship so the college gave her a second chance, so they wouldn't look bad, and she graduated as valedictorian, difficult for a black woman in that time. Lela knew that she could have a close relationship with her English teacher.

The final bell of the day rang and the students exited in a hurry, ready to go home from the first day. The trio were currently walking down the hall toward the parking lot.

"Hey, you wanna hang out later?" Chee asked as she shifted the bag strap on her shoulder. "Gigi still owes us burgers. I know a good burger joint."

"Yeah," the blonde agreed. "I'd be happy to deliver now."

Lela smiled brightly at her new friends. "I'd love to but I have work. How about Friday? I'm off then."

The Latina smirked. "Whatever floats your boat, shorty. Give me your phone for a sec." Lela handed her her iPhone and Chee's thumbs dashed over the screen. "Here. I put Giggles, Struts, and my number on here. For 'homework help' and whatnot. See ya tomorrow, Lae."

"Bye Lela!" The two girls left and the raven haired girl sighed heavily. She missed them already.

Turning around, she ran right into Mack. The surfer yelped in surprise and caught Lela by her arms as she stumbled forward. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to sneak up on you like that."

Lela let out a shaky exhale and she looked right at Mack. She momentarily lost herself in the concerned brown eyes. "I... I'm fine, thanks. And it's my fault. I didn't look where I was going." She pulled away from the brunette's warm touch and recollected herself. "So, how are you? Didn't see you for a couple periods."

"Oh, it was great. I missed you though." Mack smiled at the shorter girl. "So, are you heading home?"

The girls began to walk forward subconsciously, neither noticing. They were too engrossed in each other's presences. "Nah. I'm going to work with my brother Butchy. We repair cars and motorcycles. I specialize in motorcycles though. I work Monday through Thursday. My boss Pete gives me Friday and the weekends off. I enjoy it."

"That's really cool. I'm guessing you're wearing your uniform shirt?" Mack inquired in a teasing manner.

Lela blushed, running a hand through her hair. "I just threw something on, to be honest."

"It's okay. It looks good on you." Mack's eyes wandered over the biker's outfit, almost in too much interest. Lela just wanted to melt.

"Hey, Lels!" a gruff voice called out. It was her brother Butchy, who stood by his motorcycle. "We's gon' be late!"

Lela faced Mack and smiled sheepishly.  _Why did Butchy have to interrupt_ now  _of all times?_ "I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow?"

The brunette nodded. She then bit her lip. "Uh, could I have your number first? In case you need help or anything," she quickly added. She toyed with a lock of her hair.

Lela's heart stopped and she barely took out her cell phone. Mack hurriedly added her number to Lela's contacts and smiled. "See you tomorrow, Lela. Have fun at your job."

"Yeah, see you." The biker turned to leave and she hardly kept the wide smile off her face. She just hoped that Mack wouldn't notice the little bounce in her steps.

She neared her brother and he looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Okay, why's you so happy and giddy? I know you's a nerd but school ain't  _that_  fun."

Lela stuck her tongue out at him and he just rolled his eyes, putting on his motorcycle helmet. "Oh, I just made some great new friends." She gave him her bag, in which he replaced with her helmet. She pulled it on and hopped onto the motorcycle. "I'll tell you more as soon as we get to Pete's."

Butchy kicked up the kickstand and turned the ignition on. "You better, li'l sis. I wants details." He twisted the throttle, the motorcycle roaring. "Hang on!"

The siblings took off, avoiding any fellow students and school buses. They zoomed down the roads, gliding over the asphalt. Lela loosened her arms around her brother's waist and just marveled at the beautiful scenery.  _California is amazing._ Palm trees were hazy from their speed and the people were all kinds of shapes and sizes. The sun kept them warm, shining its gentle rays upon their exposed skin. This was one of the reasons why both Grays enjoyed riding their motorcycle. It gave them a certain freedom they couldn't obtain from just riding a car.

Soon enough, they reached their destination: a local car repair shop. Though small, it was the most known car shop in the area, so it was a bit popular. Butchy parked his bike in the employees' space and cut the engine. Both siblings took off their helmets. "Alright, go tell Pete our new schedule. We can'ts show up at dis time 'cause of school. He'll understand."

Lela nodded, sliding off the motorcycle seat. She made sure she had her phone and I.D. Her school stuff would remain in the motorcycle compartment, safe from any outside hazards. She left her helmet and hurried into the shop. Immediately, she was overwhelmed with new car smells and motor oil. It was a scent she was all too familiar with. "Pete?" she called out, checking at the counter. There was only a bored looking man, looking through a magazine. He pointed toward the back and Lela mumbled her thanks. She entered the storage room and saw her boss, going through the cardboard boxes. "There you are."

Pete was a large man with ginger hair and a matching beard. He was about six feet tall and was broadly built. He had piercing blue eyes, as cold as a winter's night. Lela always described him as a "gentle giant"—she looked ridiculous standing next to him. Pete was Canadian and strangely enjoyed living in Malibu, despite its warmer climate. "Hey, Lela. What can I do for you?"

"Butchy and I were wondering if we could start a half hour later than usual. School's interfering with our original schedule. I know it's only our third day here but we need the schedule change." Lela moved closer, realizing that Pete was checking their inventory, which was usually part of her job.

Her boss scratched his beard and hummed. "I suppose that's alright. Business isn't as hectic now as it was in the summer. You and yer brother better work harder to make up for time lost though." He checked something off his clipboard.

"Deal," Butchy said behind them. He had changed his red t-shirt to a shirt similar to Lela's. He kept the leather vest on top. "I promise we won'ts let you down."

Pete smiled. "Of course ya won't. Now get to work. I want you both working on inventory while Tom, Lucas, and I help with any customers. Tomorrow you can start repairing." He handed Lela the list and left them in the storage room.

The siblings began to check for items and checked them off. They didn't mind the simple task. Pete was just making sure that they could perform all the small but required tasks before moving onto the big stuff: repairing cars and motorcycles. Butchy glanced at his sister while putting a box back. "So, you's gon' tell me what happened at school today?"

Lela bit her lip while crossing an item off the list. She wrote a small note in the margin and turned to her brother. "I made friends with Chee, Giggles—"

"The tall blonde and the sassy Latina?—"

"—Brady, Tanner—"

"The gay couple and halfback?—"

"—Struts, Alyssa, and Mack - Quit interrupting, Butchy!"

The brunet held his hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm just making sure I know these peoples." He wiped his hands on his pants. "You met a lot of people, Lela, and it was only your first day!" He grinned. "I'm impressed. Especially after being so nervous this morning."

"Oh, shut up. Who did you meet today?"

Butchy ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "I met these guys named Lugnut, Seacat, and Rascal. They're pretty cool—one of them even likes to ride motorcycles while the other two surf. I guess Californians love having weird nicknames, but then again, my name's Butchy."

Lela giggled, recalling when her brother got the unusual name. "This kid in middle school called you 'Butchy' because you were acting out that Grease movie character for spirit week. The name stuck with you since."

"That character was Danny," Butchy corrected, searching through a box. "And yeah, I don't mind the nickname."

"You also got that Jersey accent, even though we were only in New Jersey for like two years."

The Gray family first resided in Texas but moved to New Jersey for their father's promotion—around the time Butchy started fifth grade. To become popular, he quickly learned the local accent and was one of the most popular kids in the sixth grade. The family moved back to Dallas in that following summer where they stayed until a week ago. The Jersey accent was engraved in Butchy's mind and he couldn't break the habit. Occasionally he could speak without the accent but it always came back. Fortunately, Lela never picked up on it.

"Hey, respect the accent. It's great," Butchy argued, scanning through the checklist. He replayed what happened in the parking lot earlier. "What was up with you and that brunette from the parking lot?"

Lela froze, the pen stilling in her grasp. Her mind scrambled to create a coherent answer. "I... I, uh, might... You know how I'm not exactly straight?"

"Lela, you're gay," Butchy deadpanned, his eyes on the clipboard. Lela told Butchy she was gay two years ago, at the start of her freshman year. She just found girls more appealing than guys. Hot guys were just "aesthetically pleasing" to her, nothing more.

"Yeah, well, I might have a crush on her. Her name's Mack."

Butchy blinked, placing a toolbox back. "Oh, the girl you were talkin' to? She's cute."

Lela scrutinized him for a moment. "Yeah. Did anyone catch your eye, Butch?" she inquired, attempting to change the subject.

"Nah. It's hard to impress to me, Lels. 'Sides, I didn't really talk to any girls, so we'll see." Butchy didn't want to get into any relationships, seeing he was turning nineteen and graduating in less than a year. Having a relationship would complicate things and Butchy enjoyed the simple aspect of life better than its challenging counterpart.

"Lela! Butchy! We need you two at the counter!" Pete hollered from outside the storage room. "Tom and Lucas are busy fixing up some cars. Some truckers need yer help! Get to it, kids!" If he wanted to, Pete could be a pretty intimidating man—a man the siblings did not want to upset.

"Got it, sir!" both called out, setting their lists down.

Lela brushed her hands off and took a deep breathe. She exchanged a look with her brother. "Well, we better get to work."

Butchy smirked, tugging on his gloves. For some odd reason, he still had them on. "Ditto."

And with that, the Gray siblings donned a professional attitude and stepped out of the storage room, immediately going to work. Lela still thought about her first day at Windy Bluff and thought,  _this is going to be a long year._ She couldn't be more right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. There will be more Mack/Lela interaction next time. I just wanted Lela to get "buddy-buddy" with Chee, Giggles, and Struts, and to have some sibling-bonding time with Butchy. I will try to update faster and I might even post a chapter during Thanksgiving Break - who knows? Definitely not me.
> 
> Please tell me what you think in the comments! Till next time!


	4. Between Crushes and Dances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Beach Movie or any of its characters.
> 
> I am so sorry. This is way overdue. I know I said maybe around Thanksgiving but now it's the end of December. Thanks for being so patient - for that, there's more Mack/Lela interaction - and some more Branner action, requested by alexlittlelc. Any grammatical mistakes are my own - its 12 am, sorry.
> 
> Thank you for the support and for the kudos/comments. Enjoy this chapter - and Happy Holidays! This is my "gift" from me to you.

Blue eyes started back at her. She narrowed her eyes and the blue pair mimicked her. She raised a brow and her reflection did the same. A childish grin formed on her lips as she moved her toothbrush along her teeth. Her first day at Windy Bluff completely wore her out and her part-time job just drained her. She didn't mind the work. She just hoped that it wouldn't kill her but she doubted that would ever happen. Lela was a hard worker and she strived to be the best she could be.

It was already past ten and her brother was in his room, playing some shooter game with his friends online. She could hear his muffled shouts and curses. She rolled her eyes and spat into the sink. She rinsed her mouth and smiled wide at the mirror. Her pearly whites shone back. She left the bathroom and headed toward her room—her safe haven.

She closed the door behind her, knowing that Butchy wouldn't annoy her at this hour. Even he wasn't that cruel. Lela quickly changed into an old t-shirt and some shorts, and hopped into bed. Her phone was on the nightstand and she grabbed it, checking if she had any notifications. She nearly had a heart attack at the message displayed on her lockscreen.

 **Mack (9:56pm):** _Hey its me, Mack._ _Just wanted to make sure that you were adjusting well on your first day. :)_

Lela just gaped at her phone, about to hurl it across the room from shock. She willed herself to breathe and reread the text. She racked her mind to come up with a reply and she kept erasing her started messages. Lela took a deep breath and slowly typed out a text and sent it.

 **Lela (10:13pm):** _My day went well, thanks. I can't wait to talk to you in person. See you tomorrow._

She set her phone down and stared at it for a long moment before a splitting smile grew on her face. Her chest was light, her hopes higher than ever. _Maybe moving was a good thing..._ Her phone lit up again. The biker picked it up and scanned the screen.

 **Mack (10:15pm):** _That's great and ditto! See ya._

A goofy grin molded onto her face before she laid her phone back on the nightstand, and went over to turn off the lights. It took a while for her to go to sleep. A single thought whirled through her mind: _Oh my god, how am I going to face her tomorrow?_ She groaned at the new complication and forced herself to sleep, her heart still trying to cope with that small smiley face.

**~*~**

"Hey Lela!" a voice called out from behind her. She immediately knew who it was.

Lela closed her locker and turned around, smiling at the person. "Hey Giggles. What's up?" She ran a hand through her hair, staring intently at the blonde.

"The sky, of course," Giggles joked, swaying on the balls of her feet. "We're still up for Friday, right?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"Great! Oh, are you going to the 'Save the Beach' dance this weekend? Me, Chee, and Struts are totally going."

Lela bit her lip, unsure of her answer.

"Yeah," someone interrupted. Chee walked up to them, dark hair tied high on her head, her body adorned in a thin leather jacket and skinny jeans. "We just bought our tickets. They're only five bucks and it's for a good cause." She grinned at Lela's silent state. "What? Not big on school dances?"

The raven haired girl shrugged. "I don't know. Don't you have to have a date?"

Chee snorted, amused by the new girl. "Lae, it's a school _fundraiser_ , disguised as a dance. No one really cares if you bring a date or not. Besides, most of the people going are either sympathetic and want to donate or want to be there just 'cuz the football team'll be there."

"So Tanner and Brady will be there?"

The Latina pursed her lips. "I guess so. Brady's big on saving the beach 'cuz he surfs. Tanner just follows his boyfriend." She eyed the raven haired girl. "So, you're going?"

Lela sighed heavily. "We'll see. It's this Saturday night, right?" She earned a nod in reply and she shifted. _Should I go? It'd be a great way to meet new people._ "...Maybe."

"Maybe? Girl, you have to—"

The bell rang, cutting Chee off. Her eyes suspiciously narrowed on the biker. "This isn't over, shorty." She strutted off, her head high. Giggles smiled shyly and said her goodbye before leaving for class.

 _The start of another day,_ Lela thought before she too headed to first period. She was about to enter the classroom when a certain brunette stumbled into her. Luckily, they didn't fall or collide horribly but it was embarrassing that both of them didn't acknowledge each other at first. Usually, you tended to look where you were going, but not in Lela's case. Or Mack's, as it seemed.

The taller girl let out a long breath and smiled bashfully at Lela. "We have to stop meeting like this."

"I don't know," Lela commented, a crooked grin forming on her face, "It does have a spontaneous aura to it, don't you think? At least we'll always surprise each other and hopefully we're not ever on the ground, clutching an injured limb. That would ruin the fun."

Mack snorted, fixing the strap on her shoulder. Her warm eyes were leveled on the biker. "Although I agree on the surprising aspect of it, I can't help but think that one of us is going to get really hurt someday, if we aren't careful."

For some reason, those words caused a shiver to run down Lela's spine. She ignored it and opted for a smile. "Hey, live life to the fullest. Come on. let's go sit."

The two girls entered the room and sat in their seats from the day before. This time, Lela wasn't as lost as she was before. She took out her journal and pen for notes and turned to Mack. She forced herself to speak what was on her mind, even if it lead to embarrassment. "Thanks for the text by the way. It made me feel better after my long day at work. I needed some support."

Mack raised a brow, interest piqued. "Your brother didn't support you?"

"Well, he did but I did most of the work when dealing with the customers, and that's the hardest part." Lela's expression darkened slightly. "I now understand why retail employees complain so much about customers..."

The brunette laughed, attracting Lela's attention. Her breath caught and she quickly looked away, her face burning.

Fortunately, before she could do anything stupid, the bell rang and Mr. Terry began to talk about the basics of chemistry: the states of matter, significant numbers, conversions, et cetera. Lela took as many notes as she could for future reference - aka, a test. Her pen swirled across the page, staining the blank sheet with ink. Her mind soon drifted and she started to doodle a rough outline for a motorcycle. Luckily, Mr. Terry didn't call her out as he was too busy arguing with a student that you had to round to the nearest tenth when writing your answer with significant numbers.

A small piece of paper suddenly appeared before her and Lela stared at it in confusion. A loud cough to her left caused her vision to fall on Mack. The surfer raised a brow and nodded at the note. _Oh._

Lela quickly took the note, unfolding the paper, and subtly glanced at it.

_Why are you drawing a motorcycle? You should be paying attention :p - M_

Her lips quirked into a small smile. Her eyes darted to the teacher, who was writing something about converting from moles to molecules, and wrote a reply on the note.

_I just stopped paying attention, sue me. :p As for the motorcycle, I was just trying to learn all the parts. - L_

She secretly passed it to Mack and awaited her response. She resumed her sketch of the motorcycle, quizzing herself on its various parts. She had to know most segments of a motorcycle and a common car for her job, in case customers asked for certain pieces.

The little piece of paper came back to her and Lela read it, her eyes widening at the final sentence.

_He is just reviewing stuff... That's pretty cool, Lae. Could you teach me how to ride one? - M_

Lela swallowed thickly. _Teach her how to ride a motorcycle? Isn't she supposed to teach_ me _how to surf?_ She thought, biting her lip. _I guess we could both teach each other. Yeah, school each other..._ Lela's eyes widened into large saucers, her cheeks burning at the random innuendo. She turned her face away from Mack, hoping she didn't notice the blush on her cheeks.

The bell rang once more, signaling the end of first period. Lela shoved her journal into her bag and cleared her throat. "You want to learn how to ride a motorcycle?"

Mack brightened, blurting, "Yeah, it seems so cool and badass!" She smiled shyly and ran a hand through her hair. "I mean, yeah. It'd be great to learn."

The two girls exited the classroom and headed to Calculus, trying avoiding people's prodding shoulders and elbows. _High school hallways are the worst._

Lela just hoped that today's math class would be better than yesterday's, where she nearly suffocated of boredom. "It's easy, if you have the right mentor. I can teach you next week, if you want. _You_ still have to teach me to surf."

"I know that, Lela. _You_ still haven't told me when you want to start."

Reaching the classroom door, they stared at each other before they both burst out laughing. The other students stared at them weirdly before going back to their original tasks.

"I guess we both need to get a calendar, huh?" Lela joked, walking into the room. Mack chuckled, her eyes straying on her friend.

"Oh my god, you have this class too?" Giggles exclaimed from behind them. The blonde grinned widely at the two girls. "Ooh, we're gonna have so much fun!"

"Math isn't that fun, Giggs," Mack deadpanned with a raised brow. The end of her mouth twitched. "But then again, you do make everything fun. Even studying on a Saturday night, which is the worst."

Giggles hummed happily, joining the girls in the third row. Lela was in between both of them with Giggles on her left and Mack on her right. They then prepared for class, taking out their needed materials. "So, Lela, have you decided?"

Lela's burrows knit together. "What?"

"Are you going to the dance or not? Chee's been bugging me all first period. I'm not trying to pressure you but it'd be fun—"

"Wait, you're not going to the dance?" Mack butted in, her eyes set intently on the biker.

"I never said that! I just haven't decided yet," Lela argued. She was fighting a battle she couldn't win, receiving attacks from both sides.

Before she could defend herself, the bell rang and Mr. Calvin stood up. Class was starting. Luckily for Lela, her friends dropped the dance subject and turned their attention to their teacher, who was talking about the basics of the first unit. The period went by fast and again, the bell rang, dismissing them.

Giggles leaned into Lela, her mouth by her ear. "You better decide quick, Lae. See ya later." And with that, she was gone.

Lela sighed heavily, collecting her things before rising. Should she go to the dance? It won't hurt her. It''ll be fun. She has nothing to do Saturday night anyway. "Mack, are you going to the dance?" she asked as they were heading to Marine Bio.

Mack raised a brow at her as they entered the classroom. "Um, yeah. I'm the one who passed out the flyers yesterday. I recall that you believed animals were supposed to have emotions when mating."

Lela grinned crookedly, feeling a blush spreading across her face. _Yesterday felt like an eternity._ "Hey, I'm not a marine biologist. I'm more of a mathematical engineer."

"Very true. So, are you going to the dance? I didn't mean to sound so aggressive earlier. I just want everyone to come and have a good time, y'know? While supporting a good cause. Brady was ecstatic when I told him about it."

The two girls took their seats from the day before and Dr. Jones smiled at them.

 _We're on time for_ once, Lela thought, waving at Brady and Devon from across the room. "Yeah, I'm going to the dance. It'll be fun."

A wide grin appeared on Mack's face as her stare lingered on the biker. "Great. You won't regret it."

Class started with the bell ringing. The girls exchanged small words while finishing yesterday's lab and completing a worksheet associated with the lab. Lela worked hard to finish her work but her phone kept buzzing in her pocket and she made a face. Mack snickered at her expression but didn't question it.

Five minutes before the bell would ring, Lela checked her phone.

 **Chee (10:47am):** _H_ _ey Lae, you going or not? I'm at the ticket stand.._

 **Lela (10:50am):** _Yes, I'm going. Buy me a ticket. I'll pay you back._

 **Chee (10:52am):** _W_ _ell well well. Who convinced you to go? :p_

Lela flushed at the question and quickly replied.

 **Lela (10:53am):** _Mack did. Can we talk at lunch?_

 **Chee (10:54am):** _Sure, shorty. See ya._

 _I'm not that short and_ _I'm taller than her!_ Lela refrained from commenting and slid her phone into her back pocket.

The period soon ended and Mack turned to her. "Hey, I have that Calc study group again. Tomorrow we can go to lunch together. I'll text you later. Bye Lela." She waved a final time before leaving Lela on her own.

Lela's shoulders slumped after the brunette left through the door. Her expression was wistful, as if she wanted to join her. _This crush is really affecting me—and it's only my second day of knowing her. Gah, I'm so gay._ She let out a long exhale, grabbed her bag, and headed to the cafeteria.

She quickly hopped in line and got her tray full of chicken nuggets, french fries, and an apple. A pint of strawberry milk topped it off. _Good enough...for a school lunch._

"Hey shorty! Over here!"

The raven haired girl turned around and followed the direction of the familiar voice. She found the Latina smirking at her, sipping a milkshake. Lela's brows furrowed. _A milkshake?_ "How?"

"I have my ways," Chee replied mysteriously, taking a final sip. She crossed her legs, straightening her posture. "Sit. We have much to discuss."

Lela complied with the Latina's wishes and sat beside her. She began to eat her lunch, dipping a fry in ketchup. "So, what are we talking about? Dresses? Motorcycles? Oh, and did you think of a topic for the class discussion in World History? I thought of some but—"

Chee held up a hand, her nose scrunched up in distaste. "No. We are not taking about history at a time like this. It's only the second day of school. Chill Lela. It's like you want my stress levels to go up already."

Lela offered an awkward smile as an apology. She shoved fries in her mouth, trying to swallow her embarrassment.

Chee sighed heavily and extended her hand. In her grasp was a dance ticket. "Here. I bought it for you earlier. You better not change your mind now."

"I won't. Thank you so much," Lela said gratefully, taking the pass. She placed it in her bag for safekeeping. "So what are we talking about?" She opened her milk carton and drank from it.

The Latina's smirk returned as she leaned back in her seat. "Your crush on Mack, of course."

 _What?!_ Lela's ocean blue eyes widened comically as she choked on her strawberry milk. Her throat and lungs immediately burned.

"Chee-Chee!" Giggles exclaimed from behind Lela. She patted the shorter girl on the back, trying to comfort her. "Are you trying to kill her?"

"I didn't mean for _that_ to happen."

Lela coughed and hacked until her windpipe cleared. Her eyes watered as she hastily wiped them. "What did you say?" she croaked, her eyes firm on the other biker. She needed to make sure she didn't mishear anything.

Chee's eyes worriedly darted to Giggles. She may be loud mouthed and very blunt with secrets but she would never say them aloud without the person's permission. Especially when it came to outing them or exploiting their love interests. "You sure?"

With Lela's nod of approval, she continued. "You're crushing on Mack, girl. It's kinda obvious. And I'm sorry I made you choke. That wasn't planned."

Giggles sat next to Lela, setting the new girl in the middle. "Oh that. I mean - if you paid attention, it was obvious."

Lela buried her face into her hands. Her eyes clenched tight as her teeth gritted together. _Oh god, they know... They KNOW! What do I do now?_

A soft hand fell on her shoulder, startling her. She hesitantly looked up and a bright blue pair of orbs met hers. A warm smile eased her previous worry. "Lela, we don't care if you like girls or boys or anyone else. You can love whoever you want and we would never judge."

"Unless you 'love' your ex again," Chee remarked, earning a glare from Giggles, which was truly frightening as she was always a gentle soul.

"You're still our dorky Lela, okay? Besides, Mack is cute, isn't she?" the blonde teased, smiling wide at the blush on Lela's cheeks. "It's amazing that in just a span of two days, you're so close to going head-over-heels for her."

Lela was about to argue against that claim when Brady and Tanner reached the table. The couple stared at the girls in suspicion as they sat opposite from them.

"Okay, what's going on?" Brady questioned, raising a brow at Lela's flustered state.

Lela cleared her throat, taking a swig of milk. _I might as well tell them. We're in California and it's the twenty first century. And they're gay. It should be no big deal._ "We were just talking about my revealed crush on Mack. Nothing new," she answered nonchalantly. A smile tugged at the ends of her mouth at their facial expressions.

Both boys' eyes were wide, shock visible on their faces. Chee snickered at them, sipping her chocolate shake.

"Um, well, congrats?"

"Brady!" Tanner scolded, smacking him lightly. "We have to support our fellow people." He directed his attention to Mack, grinning. "So, when did you figure out you had a crush on Mack?"

"To be honest, after first period yesterday," she admitted shyly. She felt a little bit nervous with all of this attention on her.

"Aww, that's so cute," Giggles inputted gleefully. "You two are gonna be the cutest couple!"

Lela chuckled lightly, observing her friends intently. "Not to be nosy or anything, but what do you guys identify as? You don't have to tell me. I'm just curious."

Tanner giggled. "Well, Brady and I are gay. Duh." He went to kiss his boyfriend on the cheek but Brady slyly turned his head so that their lips met. Tanner yelped in surprise but sighed contently into the kiss. His hand crept onto Brady's cheek, holding him in place. No one gave them strange looks.

Lela smiled at the sight, feeling a tug of envy in her gut. She wished that she could have a partner in which she could kiss them whenever. _Patience, Lela. One day._

"I'm pansexual," Giggles confessed with a small smile. "I love everyone."

"I'm invisible," Chee joked. "Nah, I'm just bisexual."

Lela smiled. "And I'm a lesbian. Proud too."

"Aren't we just a bunch of misfits?" the Latina bantered with a smirk.

The group broke into hysterics and for a moment, Lela could forget all of her problems and soak in her friends' positive vibes and support.

At least she wasn't alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to update before Christmas ended but oh well - couldn't beat time. Happy Holidays from me! I hope you enjoyed your "gift." I'll try to update sooner since I'm on break but we'll see. I'll work on the next chapter as soon as I publish this one.
> 
> Okay, so now everyone knows about Lela's crush on Mack and everyone's sexual orientation. I hope you enjoyed the texts and the notes between Mack and Lela. I tried to fit in some Branner but don't worry, there'll be more next chapter. The next chapter will explore some Branner and how Lela copes with her crush and how Chee and Giggles help her out.
> 
> Please tell me what you think in the comments! Till next time!


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